Jackson
by Johnny Cash

Album: Johnny Cash's Greatest Hits (1967)
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Songfacts®:

  • Before this became a famous duet between Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, it was originally performed by Billy Edd Wheeler, who wrote and recorded it in 1963. German-American actress Gaby Rodgers is credited as Wheeler's co-writer, but her name was actually used as a pseudonym by Rodgers' then-husband Jerry Leiber. Leiber wrote many hits with his regular songwriting partner Mike Stoller, such as "Hound Dog" and "Jailhouse Rock," made famous by Elvis Presley.
  • Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood also had a Pop hit (#14) with this song in 1967. They performed it, along with "Some Velvet Morning," on Nancy's TV special Movin' with Nancy.
  • Johnny and June's version peaked at #2 on the Country charts and earned them a Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Performance Duet, Trio or Group (Vocal or Instrumental) in 1968.
  • Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon performed this song for the Walk the Line soundtrack when they portrayed Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash for the 2005 biopic.
  • Florence + the Machine covered this for their live MTV Unplugged album in 2012. Queen of the Stone Age's Josh Homme joined Florence Welch on vocals.
  • The Cash duet was featured on the soundtrack for The Help (2011).

Comments: 5

  • Dewey Cox from Springberry, AlI agree with Seventhmist...while I enjoy June’s voice I thought Reece’s voice was more to my liking. Of course I was familiar with JC before watching the movie, some of these songs I heard for the first time; especially songs with June. So to here RW first THEN JCC sing Jackson, I prefer RWs version.
  • Seventhmist from 7th HeavenI was never partial to Carter's brassy voice. Ironically, I thought Witherspoon's voice was better in the movie.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1967 {April 30th} Johnny Cash and June Carter's "Jackson" peaked at #2 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart, for the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "Need You" by Sonny James*...
    Between 1964 and 1976 the husband and wife duo had eight records on the Hot Country Singles chart, four made the Top 10 with their two biggest hits both peaking at #2*, the above "Jackson" and "If I Were A Carpenter" for one week in March of 1970...
    Besides their two #2 records, their other two Top 10 records were "It Ain't Me Babe" {#4 in 1964} and "Long-Legged Guitar Pickin' Man" {#6 in 1967}...
    May both Johnny Cash {1932 - 2003} and June Carter Cash {1929 - 2003} R.I.P.
    * For both of their #2 records it was Sonny James who kept them out of the top spot, his "It's Just A Matter of Time" was at #1 for "If I Were A Carpenter", and for "Jackson" it was his "Need You" at #1...
    And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Hot Country Singles' Top 10 on April 30th, 1967:
    At #3. "Walk Through This World" by George Jones
    #4. "Lonely Again" by Eddy Arnold
    #5. "It's Such A Pretty World Today" by Wynn Stewart
    #6. "Cold Hard Facts of Life" by Porter Wagoner
    #7. "Sam's Place" by Buck Owens
    #8. "Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad" by Tammy Wynette
    #9. "I Threw Away The Rose" by Merle Haggard
    #10. "I'll Come Runnin'" by Connie Smith
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn August 11th 1980, Johnny Cash, in duet with Miss Piggy, performed "Jackson" on the syndicated TV program 'The Muppet Show'*...
    A little over thirteen years earlier on April 30th, 1967 his covered version of the song, in a duet with June Carter, reached #2 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart; the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "Need You" by Sonny James...
    * 'The Muppet Show' ran for five seasons with a total of 120 original episodes.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn June 18th 1967, "Jackson" by Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #79; and on July 23rd it peaked at #14 (for 3 weeks) and spent 9 weeks on the Top 100...
    The duo had three other Top 100 records; "Summer Wine" (peaked at #49 in 1967), "Lady Bird" (reached #20 in 1967), and "Some Velvet Morning" (peaked at #26 in 1968)...
    The flip-side of "Jackson" was Nancy's "You Only Live Twice"; it also charted, reached #44 on the Top 100...
    R.I.P. Mr. Hazelwood (1929 - 2007) and Ms. Sinatra celebrated her 74th birthday on June 8th, 1940.
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